Targeted support now available for UK catalogue artists, songwriters and session musicians

BPI today announces a variety of measures designed to provide targeted support to UK catalogue artists, songwriters and session musicians.   

These measures result from the adoption of the BPI’s label-led Principles adopted in July 2025 following discussions in the UK government-convened Creator Remuneration Working Group.  

Catalogue artists:   

Catalogue artists currently or previously signed to labels owned by the UK divisions of Sony, Warner or Universal Music can now check their eligibility to apply for support programmes and policies launched by each of those companies.   

The support programmes are bespoke to and vary by company but broadly consist of the following:   

• Disregarding certain unrecouped advances so that eligible legacy artists receive royalties.* 
• Technical and marketing support to optimise a catalogue’s presence on streaming and social media platforms, including in some cases the possibility to apply for financial support. 
• Clear information on how to start a conversation about legacy contract renegotiation.  

*Please note that for eligible artists the disregarding of unrecouped balances applies provided artists have registered for the relevant company’s royalty portal and that their contact and banking details are correct and up to date. Artists and their managers are therefore advised to make sure they have registered and provided accurate and up to date contact and bank details. 

Further information about the specific support offered by Sony, Warner and Universal Music including how to apply can be accessed via the following links:   

• Sony Music UK: Artist Forward Programme and Legacy Unrecouped Balance Programme 
• Warner Music UK: Leg-Up  
• Universal Music UK: Boost  

BPI is also encouraging its independent label members to support catalogue artists they work with and has published a Handbook for Members offering guidance on the BPI’s label-led Principles on creator remuneration as well as on the voluntary Codes of Practice on Transparency and Metadata arising from other government-convened working groups. Catalogue artists working with independent labels should ask whether the label offers support and how to access it. 

Songwriters:  

Songwriters invited to participate in writing sessions hosted by labels owned by Warner or Universal Music can now apply for both a per diem payment of £75/day and for their travel and accommodation expenses to be reimbursed. Songwriters should submit a claim for per diems and expenses to the label’s A&R administrator running the writer session, and once approved, send an invoice for the agreed amount.  

More information on how to claim per diems and expenses from Universal Music Group UK labels can be found on the Boost webpage.   

Instructions on how to claim per diems and expenses from Warner Music UK labels will be provided by the label when the songwriter is invited to attend the writing session. 

Up and coming songwriters can also apply to the Ivors Academy for financial support provided by the Sony Music Songwriter Support Fund. Please contact the Ivors Academy for further information.  

BPI is also encouraging its independent label members to support songwriters they work with and has published a Handbook for Members offering guidance on the BPI’s label-led Principles on creator remuneration as well as on the voluntary Codes of Practice on Transparency and Metadata arising from other government-convened working groups. Songwriters working with independent labels should ask whether the label offers support and how to access it. 

Session Musicians:   

As of 1 January 2026, session musicians automatically benefit from a rise in the minimum recording session fees of 40% for pop sessions and 15% for classical sessions.     

There are no additional formalities for session musicians to fulfil in order to benefit from this rise in minimum rates.  

The new minimum rates are applicable to all UK based recording sessions. They are not restricted to those arranged by the larger global companies, Sony, Warner and Universal Music.  

The increase in minimum rates results from the coming into effect of a new agreement between BPI and the Musicians’ Union.